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Junior Hockey Cops Investigating Player ... After Violent Ref Punch

Cops tell TMZ Sports they are investigating the junior hockey player who violently punched a referee during a game in Massachusetts on Sunday.

A spokesperson for the Foxborough Police Dept. confirmed on Tuesday that cops were called to the Foxborough Sports Center at around 2:22 PM on Sunday after a member of the South Shore Kings had unloaded a right hand into the face of a ref in the middle of a game.

Cops tell us they have yet to determine if there is a "criminal element" ... but did say they are aware of the video of the punch and are currently interviewing all of the involved parties.

Safe to say, I don’t think he liked what the ref said to him 🤷‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/zJUe61SMUT

— Justin (McLovin) (@tarpsoffmclovin) February 20, 2022

"At this time no further information will be released," the spokesperson said, "as it is still under investigation."

As we previously reported, the United States Premier Hockey League hit the player with a lifetime ban from its league over the punch.

"The action taken today by a USPHL player is completely unacceptable in the USPHL," the league's commissioner said in a statement following the incident, "The USPHL has zero-tolerance for any player striking any official, at any time."

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